ABSTRACT
Many consider the Reagan-Gorbachev principle that “nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought” 2 to be the clarion call for arms control. With this, US and Soviet leaders put words to the fundamental understanding that arms control was sacrosanct in the context of other, unrelated issues in international security. In 2021 we live in a different reality, where arms control by some experts has been reduced to “nuclear identity politics” 3 while others claim that it is “practically exhausted.” 4 Disconcerting as these sentiments might be, they contain a kernel of truth. Arms control in 2021 is still oriented to realities of the past. But if the arms race spirals into full force, it is humans who will be the losers. Hence, it is unhelpful to dismiss arms control as an obsolete manifestation of Cold War nightmares. But it is time for an update to address new global challenges, in particular quickly evolving geopolitical realities and emerging technologies. Furthermore, the silos in the debate on arms control need to be overcome.
